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http://www.cedarcityreview.com/arti...cal_Schools_Participate_in_“Deaf_for_the_Day”
On Thursday and Friday, local students from Cedar and Canyon View high schools participated in a unique project called “Deaf for the Day.”
Andrew Groft, who has been teaching American Sign Language to local college and high school students since 1996, said he got the idea from other language programs that have done similar activities.
“‘Deaf for the Day’ has a three-fold objective,” Groft said. “First is deaf awareness. We want these young people to get a feel for some of the challenges and joys associated with being deaf. Secondly, we want students to have a sort of immersion experience where they can use the language for an extended period of time. And lastly, as Utah and other states throughout the country are struggling to keep up with the demand for ASL interpreters, we want students to experience what it might be like to be an interpreter. Maybe they’ll love it or feel a sense of personal mission in it and help fill the growing need for sign language interpreters here in Utah.”
In fact, this “growing need” may be more of a growing emergency. The Utah Interpreter Program, a division of the Utah State Department of Education, has stated that, “Utah has a critical shortage of qualified sign language interpreters.”
And a recent Associated Press article on KSL.com reported: “Utah State (University) officials say they are trying to meet the needs of a dozen hearing-impaired students despite a statewide shortage of sign-language interpreters. Utah has about 200 certified sign language interpreters and could use another 400, according to the Utah Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.”
Michelle, a Southern Utah University student studying under Groft, recently finished a similar “Deaf for the Day” project. When asked about her experience, she said: “Professor (James) Harrison . . . once told me that language enables one to see the world with an entirely new perspective. It wasn’t until I shoved those bright orange earplugs down my ears that I discovered he was right. I stumbled into a whole new world — a world where I thought, communicated and felt like a deaf person. Not only was my perspective broadened through this experience, but I also learned more about myself and others in the process.”
Maggie, another student who participated, said: “After using ASL to order food, the poor girl working at the counter looked like, ‘Oh, crap, now what do I do?,’ but then my partner interpreted for me, and we were able to communicate.”
Maggie’s partner said: “This experience was really fun. It was interesting when people — especially kids — would stare. Some people seemed uncomfortable or even rude, but others smiled, and some parents would quietly explain to their kids about deafness and diversity in general.”
“There’s really no way a hearing person like myself or any of my hearing students could possibly understand what it’s like to be deaf or hearing impaired,” Groft said. “But when students get a taste of it — even if it’s a very small taste — they are better for it. Increased understanding leads to greater maturity and, frankly, a better quality of life.”
It is not only interpreters that are needed, but people in all professions who can communicate with their deaf clients, customers and coworkers.
Dana Miller, campus president of the Southwest Applied Technology College, said: “American Sign Language is an important part of our program here for three reasons. First, a fundamental goal of education is to increase the ability of each student to communicate. ASL not only teaches these students to communicate with the deaf and hearing impaired; it also helps them understand their own language more fully. Second, ASL makes students in any field more marketable. Employers want employees who can meet the needs of their clientele. And, finally, we hope that at least some students will be inspired to make a career out of sign language — by interpreting, involvement in deaf education, counseling and other fields of growing need.”
American Sign Language courses are offered at Southern Utah University, Dixie State College, George Wythe College and the Southwest Applied Technology College for high school and college students, as well as the community.
On Thursday and Friday, local students from Cedar and Canyon View high schools participated in a unique project called “Deaf for the Day.”
Andrew Groft, who has been teaching American Sign Language to local college and high school students since 1996, said he got the idea from other language programs that have done similar activities.
“‘Deaf for the Day’ has a three-fold objective,” Groft said. “First is deaf awareness. We want these young people to get a feel for some of the challenges and joys associated with being deaf. Secondly, we want students to have a sort of immersion experience where they can use the language for an extended period of time. And lastly, as Utah and other states throughout the country are struggling to keep up with the demand for ASL interpreters, we want students to experience what it might be like to be an interpreter. Maybe they’ll love it or feel a sense of personal mission in it and help fill the growing need for sign language interpreters here in Utah.”
In fact, this “growing need” may be more of a growing emergency. The Utah Interpreter Program, a division of the Utah State Department of Education, has stated that, “Utah has a critical shortage of qualified sign language interpreters.”
And a recent Associated Press article on KSL.com reported: “Utah State (University) officials say they are trying to meet the needs of a dozen hearing-impaired students despite a statewide shortage of sign-language interpreters. Utah has about 200 certified sign language interpreters and could use another 400, according to the Utah Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.”
Michelle, a Southern Utah University student studying under Groft, recently finished a similar “Deaf for the Day” project. When asked about her experience, she said: “Professor (James) Harrison . . . once told me that language enables one to see the world with an entirely new perspective. It wasn’t until I shoved those bright orange earplugs down my ears that I discovered he was right. I stumbled into a whole new world — a world where I thought, communicated and felt like a deaf person. Not only was my perspective broadened through this experience, but I also learned more about myself and others in the process.”
Maggie, another student who participated, said: “After using ASL to order food, the poor girl working at the counter looked like, ‘Oh, crap, now what do I do?,’ but then my partner interpreted for me, and we were able to communicate.”
Maggie’s partner said: “This experience was really fun. It was interesting when people — especially kids — would stare. Some people seemed uncomfortable or even rude, but others smiled, and some parents would quietly explain to their kids about deafness and diversity in general.”
“There’s really no way a hearing person like myself or any of my hearing students could possibly understand what it’s like to be deaf or hearing impaired,” Groft said. “But when students get a taste of it — even if it’s a very small taste — they are better for it. Increased understanding leads to greater maturity and, frankly, a better quality of life.”
It is not only interpreters that are needed, but people in all professions who can communicate with their deaf clients, customers and coworkers.
Dana Miller, campus president of the Southwest Applied Technology College, said: “American Sign Language is an important part of our program here for three reasons. First, a fundamental goal of education is to increase the ability of each student to communicate. ASL not only teaches these students to communicate with the deaf and hearing impaired; it also helps them understand their own language more fully. Second, ASL makes students in any field more marketable. Employers want employees who can meet the needs of their clientele. And, finally, we hope that at least some students will be inspired to make a career out of sign language — by interpreting, involvement in deaf education, counseling and other fields of growing need.”
American Sign Language courses are offered at Southern Utah University, Dixie State College, George Wythe College and the Southwest Applied Technology College for high school and college students, as well as the community.